


Biggest Little City Blues

by handsometabbyc



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Uninverse - Casino, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Grim with a Happy Ending, M/M, Protective Siblings, implied/refrenced abuse from unnamed character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:40:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21870943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handsometabbyc/pseuds/handsometabbyc
Summary: Loki and Tony  live parallel lives...Loki soliciting himself in one way or another, and Tony trying to manage the failing resort and casino his father left him, with seemingly nothing in common aside from being good in bed and wanting something more then a tired broke down casino town. That is until one winter when Tony finally sells the resort and Loki worries he'll lose his comrade in misery.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: if you go through the proper channels, Nevada is actually the only state where prostitution is legal. You need a licensed brothel and that brothel needs to be away from the general population (that's why they're always places called 'the chicken Ranch, or 'mustang ranch') but it is legal.

Loki was visiting the downtown area of Reno, where the big cluster of shiny neon festooned buildings were, something he rarely did nowadays. Ever since he opened 'Moonlit Ranch' he'd just been too busy. He was technically 'too busy' tonight, he had a Christmas party they were holding to attract potential clients and investors, not to mention just to uplift moral, but this felt somewhat more important. Besides, he could do it and still make the tail end of the gathering.

The area lauded itself as a discount version of the Vegas strip, trying replicate the glitz and glamor on a smaller scale, hence the nick-name proclaimed on that overrated sign tourists flocked to, 'the biggest little city in the world', which appropriately was Reno's answer to Vegas' own namesake sign.

As he drove into the city the Phoenix resort building came looming into view out of the rest of the towering casinos around, lit all up with red and gold neon and he felt a bittersweet knot form in his stomach.

It had just been sold for a cool thirty million, and he found himself wondering whether or not the new owners would keep the façade and the name, or if it would have a similar fate as that of Fitzgerald's, a garish casino with an irish theme, complete with a dumb lepercan mascot and a rainbow bridge the establishment had ambitiously constructed to draw customers in. 'Ride the rainbow!' they proclaimed.

The later he sort of liked granted...but that had been demolished even before Fitzgerald's had gone under, the city had been having problems for years with the railroad line that went through town and decided to move it underground and had to demolish what was basically a colorful pedestrian bridge do so.

He suppose he should say good ridence in the interest in good taste…especially since a classier hotel had taken Fitzgerald's place, lauding itself as one of the only non smoking, non gambling’ resorts to stay in the area, but it seemed like the landscape was changing drastically in no time at all. And he…well he felt like he missed the boat somehow, all the great things he could've done fell to the wayside.

Don't get him wrong, he was content with the life that he'd built...he was even respected in certain circles...but it was moments like these that he found himself reflecting what might've been.

 _…Because the Phoenix meant something more to him then just another gaudy building,_ He thought as he sauntered down the sidewalk from the parking building, dirty slush on edges of the sidewalk and the road, holiday lights and Christmas music playing from the building's outside building sound system which he did his best to ignore, Christmas meant nothing to him these day aside from something to capitalize off of.

He was checking himself out in a passing reflection when he got to the buildings flashing entrance of neon and bulbs and crome, and for a second was mesmerized, brought back to a time before it had all gone wrong.

“You did it you bastard, you finally manage to sell it.” Loki muttered before walking inside.

\---

**Tony's office**

“You doing anything for the holiday’s sir?” Happy, his right hand man asked.

“Aside from giving myself some long deserved time off? No.” Tony said somberly.

“After selling this place I suppose you do, especially given the dump it was when your father left it to you.” He said. “Not to mention the campaign-“

“I thought we agreed we wouldn’t talk about the C word anymore until after New Year.” Tony said testily.

“Right, of course, sorry.”

Tony nodded in satisfaction when his desk phone rang. He picked it up after the third ring and said: “This better be an emergency…What? you're kidding me.”

Happy looked at him confusedly and said to him while pulling the phone from his face: ‘Reindeer Games is in the jaguar lounge downstairs.’ Before asking into the phone begrudgingly: “Did he specificly ask for me, is he acting unruley …no, Christ, don’t kick him out, I'll deal with it myself…Right, thank you.”

He hung up the phone. “Christ, it had to be him, the ghost of Christmas past.” He grumbled, massaging his forehead.

“I thought you said you were going to cut ties with him, that that sort of thing would be bad for-" Tony glared at him. "Well, you know."

"I didn't exactly cut ties, I sort of assumed I wouldn't hear from him if I stopped getting in touch." Tony said reluctantly. "...I was hoping it'd work out like that anyway." 

"Should I get security?"

“Like I said, that won’t be necessary.” Tony said, getting up. “I really should be a big man and deal with him myself.”

“Are you sure-“

“I can handle it.” He insisted without turning as he walked away from the office to the elevator which was thankfully empty. He sighed, closing his eyes and rolling his shoulders. And then the doors opened to the casino, the sound of chatter and chimes and bells from the machines bombarded him.

He made his way to the Jaguar lounge, glancing over it until his eyes fell on the long lean form sitting at the bar. Walking toward him the man lifted his head, no doubt seeing him in the mirror behind the bar. He turned to look at him, which surprised Tony a bit, part of him expected to just ignore until he sat next to him but he supposed he's shouldn't assume anything about him since he's thought essentially ghosting him would make him go away.

“And here I thought it was going to be hard to draw you out.” the man said turning back to the mirror as Tony sat next to him.

“I figured you were here for a reason Reindeer Games, didn't what to give you a reason to make a scene.” Tony said, before telling the bartender: “Beer and whiskey chaser.”

“Son of a bitch, just for that I should do it to spite you." he drawled. He looked good, for a tired broke down casino town anyway.

Tony was all too familiar with the look Loki chose, it might as well be the unofficial uniform of the 'slum professional', from blackjack dealer to the pawn broker: the pointed dress shoes he wore, the pomade in his long hair, the sleazy, crazed look in the eyes that could go from 'I wanna fuck you' to 'I wanna fuck you up' in zero seconds flat. But to Loki's credit he somehow gave it was different spin, made it his own.

"It’s Loki asshole…why do you even call me that?” He said annoyedly.

“We usually run into each other around Christmas.” Tony answered, gesturing to his surroundings. "Case and point."

"You might say this is an anomaly," Loki argued. "But then again I suppose I hardly can argue when it's been months since I've last seen you."

“I’m sure running your own business is different then being 'self employed'...preoccupies more of your time...no judgements of course."

Loki smiled, swirling his drink around in his glass. "Of course, you never did judge me for that sort of thing, I appreciate that."

Tony looked away guiltily. "Right..."

\--- 

**Fifteen Years Ago...**

He met him during the tail end of college, back before his dad got sick and eventually passed away, when all he had to worry about were exams or which date to chose from.

Tony was home from school and had decided to accept the invitation from his old friend Thor, assuming it would just be a group of his old highschool chums. And granted it was...but it also included Thor's professor father along with half the local university facility, most of whom were in a cluster with him having a spirited argument. 

Thor's family was...odd, to say the least. Aside from his professor father there was his mother the psychiatrist, and both of them where what one would describe as 'new age weirdos', the sort of boomers who never grew out of their hippie phase. Contrastly there was the sister Hela: a couple grades ahead of him and Thor, who enlisted into the god damn Marines after highschool and was currently here on leave, looking bored as she talked to some meathead with a scalp tattoo.

And then there was the youngest sibling, the one Tony only knew from stories.

"Brother? Yes, that would be him." Thor said, brother in question moodily leaning against the wall preoccupied with him own thoughts, a pair of flashing antlers on his head as if to make up for a lack of holiday spirit. "Don't mind him, he and our father got into a bit of a fight before this. Ever since he turned eighteen last February he's been a menace."

“He’s cute.” Tony commented and Thor laughed.

“Perhaps,but he’s trouble, I can’t tell you what to do but you’d be better off staying away.”

“You're right, I probably should.” Tony agreed, though when Thor disappeared and he’d had a couple more drinks he sauntered over.

“Hey there…I heard you were trouble.” He said as smoothly as possible, and Loki broke into laughter.

“I’m sure you did, especially since you were talking to my brother earlier.”

“I got the impression he was just being overprotective.” Tony said.

“Who knows, he could be right.” Loki said lowly, giving him a side look. “I could be an absolute devil.”

“Is that right?” Tony said with a small smile just as Hela came gliding up to them.

"Tony Stark, don't think I've seen you in years." She said.

"I've uh...been at college." He said nervously.

"Still a smartass playboy?" She asked. "I remember you being quite the heart breaker, all the little girlies would pine over you."

"Oh well, I've been focused on school but I do get around I suppose." Tony said.

"Hm, well I'll have you know I've been focusing on my training as well, and I know how to take down men in ways you can't imagine."

"Oh, um..." He cleared his throat. "Neat."

"Hela, please, we're just talking." Loki said with exasperation.

"Alright, but you know where to find me." She said walking away.

"...Okay, she might've been a bit protective." Loki relented.

"Jesus..." Tony said. "A bit?"

"But I am trouble, through and through." Loki added.

“Well I’m only going to be in town for a few days, school’s been a bitch…so a bit of trouble might just be what I need.”

“Is that right?” Loki said, little smile spreading on his face.

"Sure...you wanna get out of here?"

Loki tusked helplessly, looking away, the flirtatious façade falling away. "It's a family party, I was obligated to come. That's why I'm here in the first place."

"Well I'm glad you did." Tony said, glancing over the room and noticing both Thor and Hela glaring daggers at him. "Maybe I should go though."

“Oh no, please don’t be so quick to leave.” Loki insisted. “I’m dead bored and would love a distraction from being angry at Dad.”

“Dad…you mean the guy currently sharing a joint with your mom on the couch?” Tony remarked. "That's the guy your locking horns with

“Just because he’s a functional stoner doesn’t mean he isn’t a stubborn ass who’s full of himself.” Loki murmured.

“Okay, I’ll give you that…but how do I know this isn’t because you find the brother sister wrath a laugh riot.”

“The two aren’t necessarily mutual exclusive.” Loki snarked as he lifted himself off the wall. “Punch?”

“I was invited after all.” Tony reasoned as he followed him.

“See? That’s the spirit.”

He spent almost an hour there, eventually drawn into a conversation with Thor about sports and Loki strayed away from, he seemed to recall from Thor Loki wasn’t much of a sports guy, at least as far as highschool football was concerned. He caught sight of him playfully dancing with some girl and he found himself half wishing that could be him.

Perhaps he was being too obvious because next he knew Loki was coming up to him when he was lingering by the snack table asking: “Wanna dance?”

“What?” Tony asked, taken off guard.

“I saw you looking at me earlier.” He said, shrugging. “Thought I might try and ask.”

“I could’ve been looking at your friend.” Tony said, admittedly dodging the question. He had found himself wanting to do that very thing, but in practice, in front of everyone...

“If that’s the case I’ll introduce you, but I doubt it.” Loki said, smirking, god the little shit was full of himself. “But do you?”

“I’m not much of a dancer.”

“Well you don’t have to, but lots of people are doing it, you won’t look silly alone. It’ll be fun.”

“I’m not much of a dancer, plus I outta go.” He insisted. “It was a good party though, good to meet you.”

He turned taking a few unsteady strides, at which Loki started to laugh.

“What?” He demanded.

“How many drinks did you have?”

“Three.” He said defensively, before reluctantly adding: “Though it might’ve been five.”

“Geeze, why don’t you let me drive you home.”

“I can just call a cab.”

“Believe me, you’d be doing me a favor, it would give me an excuse to leave.” Loki confided. “You'll just have to come back for your car.”

“I have no arguments with that.” Tony said.

As they walked from the house to Loki’s car, half melted then refrozen snow crunching under their feet. Tony stumbled a bit in the dark, Loki quickly grabbing his arm.

He looked up at him sheepishly. “Fuck, guess I might really be a little unsteady on my feet.”

“It’s alright.” Loki reassured him. “But are you alright? You didn’t have to stay as long as you did just because of me.”

“No…I’m actually glad I did. It was good to catch up with people…not to mention to put a face the kid brother Thor talked about.”

“Oh god, should I be embarrassed?” Loki said as the continued to walk, still holding his arm.

“No more then any kid I suppose.” Tony reassured him. “He complained a lot about your mom always prioritizing your gymnastic stuff and how embarrassing it was, but I think he was a little proud. Did you keep it up?”

“Embarrassing my brother?” He said as they rounded the car.

“You know what I mean.” Tony said as they stood close.

“I did it competitively until halfway highschool when I get my growth spurt.” Loki said, squinting as he thought.

“What, tall boy’s can’t…tumble?” Tony kidded softly, trying to be smooth but stumbling when he tried to find the right gymnastic word.

“No, I just got a little self conscious. It feels stupid now, but what are you going to do?” He said, looking down at him.

They started to kiss, breaths visible in the freezing air, when Loki pulled away. “…I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“Oh come on, I thought you were trouble?” Tony joked.

“Yes, but you are quite a bit drunker then me, and I prefer boys kissing me when their judgements aren’t hindered. There’s just something…I don’t know, a little insulting about it.”

“Buddy I can promise I’d kiss a handsome guy like you any day of the week.” Tony said groggily.

Loki gave a sad little laugh as he let him go. “Fuck, your cute. Let me drive you home.”

“Fine, I’ll let you drive me home.” Tony said grumpily.

When they got to Tony’s house, Tony said his goodbyes and started to leave but Loki stopped him.

“Wait, fuck it…give me your phone so I can give you me your number.”

Tony obliged and Loki typed it in. “So you can call me when you’re sober.”

“Thought for a moment you were going to change your mind.” Tony said.

“Well I’m easy but I’m not that easy.” Loki said as he handed his phone back, and despite being disappointed Tony smiled at that as he took it.

“Okay…goodnight.”

“Right back atcha.” Loki called after him before looking ahead glumly before driving away.

\---

He did end up calling him the next day and they agreed to meet at his father's hotel by an ornate fountain at eight in the evening. Though he was siting there for twenty minutes, and was starting to worry that Loki was just messing with him when he turned up.

"Sorry, I got lost." He said. "It's embarrassing, I have been here before, a few times in fact..."

"It's the casino layout, they do that do you." Said Tony, admittedly relieved. "I've had so many friends bitch to me about not being able to find the check-in counter or a particular resturant, I swear the place is designed to get you lost."

"Right...so how about a drink?" Loki said, looking around hopefully. 

"Oh now it's okay?" Tony teased.

"A drink and drunk are two separate things." Loki insisted. "So if you can get me one-" 

"You fiend, you know I can't do that, you're only eighteen...not down here anyway." He added lowely as the two of them started to walk. "...I have a suite with a mini bar."

"Ooo, aren't you smooth." Loki said and Tony cackled.

\---

"I forgot what a piece of work your...well your whole family was, but especially your dad." Tony said as he poured them both a drink as Loki looked out the city view window. As he handed him one of them he asked. "Is whiskey okay?"

"Whiskey's fine." Loki said, taking a drink and making a bit of a face to Tony's amusement, which Loki noticed, glared at and downed most of the drink, wincing before he went on.

"...We've been locking horns a bit as of late, mostly about college. Mainly it comes back to him wanting me to get into teaching like him, and I just don't know if the scholarly life is one for me." Loki said as Tony handed him a drink. "Granted I'm not a hundred percent sure what I want, I just don't want to be like him."

"I think I know what you mean." Tony agreed. "I suppose dear old Dad did alright, but I just want to do something of my own."

"Oh...And what's that college boy?"

"I don't know, either something in business or engineering." Tony said.

"Such a smarty pants." Loki said, gazing into his eyes, Tony looking back up at him with a glimmer.

"I do alright...can we kiss now?"

Loki smiled, nodding nervously, going for an experimental kiss, and Tony smirked deepening the kiss with the near stranger, hand moving down his long lean back, working his was under his shirt and up against warm bare skin, and Loki pulled his shirt off.

As Tony mouth the newly exposed skin, Loki asked: "Do you uh, have-"

"In the nightstand." He muttered into his neck. "They're in the nightstand."

"How did you know what I was about to ask?"

"Because how else does anyone ask that question?" Tony answer smugly, beginning to giggle a bit.

"Ass," Loki said with amusement, using the opportunity to push him on the bed with a playful annoyance, taking advantage of the moment to take off his pants shoes and socks so he was just in his boxer briefs.

"God dammit, how are you already almost naked and I'm not?" Tony complained, taking off his shirt while pushing off his loafers with his feet.

"It's a gift." Loki said as he knelt on the bed over tony, unbuckling his pants.

"Gift is right..." Tony said breathlessly as he looked up at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Phoenix was *supposed* to be a fictitious casino, but I found a good bit after completing this fic there was a resort called 'The golden Phoenix', roughly where I described it to be and exactly how it looked...It just didn't exist very long, just a few years in the 2000s (reno 911 ran around that time so you can see it on their B roll footage)
> 
> ...When I inevitably rewrite this I think I will change that, it's a neat coincidence but I did want it to be story specific.


	2. Chapter 2

**Three Years After They Met**

“I was talking to your accountant…why didn’t you tell me business was so bad?” Tony asked, visiting his father in the hospital. Some hokey soap opera was playing on the tv, rain pouring down, miserable weather for a miserable day. It was November, that odd period in between Halloween and thanksgiving where yule tide cheer was fighting it's was in. Christ he wished he could just skip the holidays altogether this year...

“Aw…you’ve been so busy with college and then your new job...I didn’t want you worry.”

“Yeah, while you were paying my tuition.” Tony said irritably. "And luckily we don't have to worry about the new job now."

"You lost it?" His father asked disappointedly.

Tony winced as he sat down. "Unfortunately, yeah. I'd like to say it wasn't my fault but uh..." He trailed off, laughing nervously.

“Well never mind that...It was important to me that you got an education, I put that money aside just for that.” Howard insisted.

"Right, sure..." Tony answered distractedly, springing back up and started to pace. “We could just sell the damn thing you know,” Tony pointed out, continuing the discussion of business. “We still have to pay the bank back but at least we’d...fuck, break even I guess."

“No! I built that place from the ground up, I want you to continue my legacy.” His father insisted vehemently. “I’m not just going to give it away.”

“It’s not-“ Tony rubbed his forehead. “it wouldn’t be giving it away, I just don’t know how I could continue on with you’re uh…legacy.”

“I will admit, things have been rocky as of late, times have changed and I don’t know how things work anymore, but I believe you can pick things up."

Tony glowered out the window.

Heading home from the hospital he contemplated stopping at a bar, wanting to put off going home a bit longer where he’s be faced with the new responsibility he was a hundred percent sure he was going to take on. But drinking had become a bit of a problem as of late, so he'd been trying at the very least not to drink alone.

He would go to a friends house but he didn’t exactly have a big social circle anymore here, not since highschool and anyone he kept in touch with…well they’d gone else where. There was Thor whose family parties he was invited occasionally to when he was in town, but he didn’t know if they were on a ‘casually talk and get a beer’ basis.

None the less he found himself scrolling through the O's to ‘Thor Odinson,’ and out of frustration blindly pushed the call button.

‘ _Hello?’_ A not unfamiliar but unexpected voice answered, though he couldn’t place it.

“Hi uh…I was calling for a Thor?” Tony said confusedly.

‘I do believe you have the wrong number.’ He said flatly.

“What? No, I-“ He checked the phone, ‘LOKI ODINSON’ on the screen. “Oh fuck, sorry about that Loki, I must’ve hit you’re number by mistake, so crazy…”

‘ _I’m sorry, do I know you?’_ Loki said. _‘I’m assuming your one of my brothers friends but other then that-“_

“I’m Tony! Remember? We uh…” He cleared his throat, laughing nervously. “Well, you know.”

‘ _Oh, Tony…I was wondering why you sounded so familiar. Did we exchange numbers?’_

“We must’ve, and I must’ve kept it…but while I’ve got you are you busy tonight?”

There was a begrudging sigh on the other side, but it was followed by: ‘ _I’m not, do you want to meet?’_

\---

“You know, when you said you wanted to meet I assumed it would’ve been for a drink.” Loki said. They were at a place called the China Diner, a casual eatery that was good if you were drunk or tired, and Tony was at least one of those things.

“Still trying to get that drink out of me huh?” Tony kidded, and Loki gave him a look. “What? I’m hungry.”

“It’s funny that you remember that. Combined with the fact that you still have my number, how creeped out should I be?” He quipped.

“You don’t remember?”

“Well sure, because you’re the legendary Tony Stark. I on the other hand was just an old friend’s brother you ran into at a party.”

“A very handsome one though." Tony pointed out. "...But I suppose it's a little weird that I asked you to meet after what, two years?"

“Almost three.” Loki insisted. "But it's fine, I did agree to it didn't I?"

“Right…so that would make you ‘almost’ twenty-one since it's November right now, which means you can’t have this.” Tony joked, dragging his beer bottle away.

“Oh come on…” Loki said tiredly.

“Hey, it’s means more for me.” Tony said, taking a slug of it.

“You are such a brat.” He said, laughing and Tony smiled, chuckling as he let Loki take his beer back.

“…From what I hear from your brother, so are you. Always talking about how you’re the baby of the family.”

“That’s big coming from an only child.” Loki pointed out. “A rich kid at that.”

“Not so rich apparently.” Tony said as he took a drink of his own beer. When Loki waited for him to elaborate, he added: “…The old man’s broke.”

Loki scoofed. “Well, that explains the sad state of the Pheonix.”

“Wha-” Tony said, after having taken a big bite, and as soon as he choked it down he asked: “What are you talking about?”

“Your not serious? It’s a total dump. Has been for years.I-” Loki insisted, trailing off when Tony groaned, putting his face in his hands. “I’m sorry?”

“Dad...he's broke and dying.” He said. “…Granted he might pull through, but he’s certainly too sick to run the Pheonix.”

“Oh no…sorry about that.” Loki said with a wince. “Is that what your doing here?”

“Yeah. Not to mention I’m sorta inbetween jobs so I didn’t exactly have an excuse not to see him.” Tony said, adding: “…And most importantly, why I don’t have an excuse not to ‘take on the family legacy.’”

“Your shitting me, that’s the family legacy? Did he say that?”

“Unfortanately.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Well legacy is just another word for burden. As you recall my own father wanted me to be a teacher like him. But it’s the same reason Thor got into trade work or Hela with the millitary, it isn’t like he can afford to pay for our college. Plus to be saddled with a student loan just to get by on a crappy teaching job? No thank you.”

“No kidding…how is your dad by the way?”

“Fine, especially since he got that new job in Berkeley.” Loki said.

“Oh…so he isn’t here anymore?”

“Yes, as aren't Mom and Thor.” He said. “Hela is the only one who didn’t follow him to California and she technically already left, so everyone’s gone.”

“Except for you, you still seem to be here.” Tony point out as he ate.

“Well yes, it would seem.” Loki said, glowering at him. “I’m not crazy about this city but I didn’t feel like following just to continue being the family disappoint. Frankly I can do that from a distance and just you know…visit from time to time.”

“That was my plan. Well, aside from the failure part.”

“Watch it fucker.” Loki said. “Good to see you’re still a smart ass.”

“Ah, well it's good to have a sense of humor, especially in this sort of circumstance.”

They both sat there sullenly, contemplating that, before Loki asked: “Do you know what your going to do?”

“I’ll tell you what I want to do, sell the damn place and work on getting a new job. You know, away from here.”

“Certainly can’t do it while he’s alive.” Loki commented, and when Tony looked at him critically he elaborated: “The way I see it, you can just sell it when he’s not around anymore. But in the mean time, if you're in charge you can run the place, maybe improve the quality making it look better for potential buyers.”

“…that actually isn’t the worst idea.” Tony said with a shrug. “Don’t have a job, don’t want to disappoint dad, kills two birds with one stone. I didn’t ask, what do you do?”

“This and that, currently I’m working at ‘Lucky Boy’.” He said uncomfortably.

“Oh yeah, that gay bar. As a bartender?”

After a moment of hesitation Loki took a drink of his beer and said: “Uh…no, more like a dancer?”

“Ah…well…That’s fine.” Tony cleared his throat adding: “Being a guy who looks as good as you do I bet you make good money.”

“Nice save.” Loki said, smile creeping on his face. “I do alright. Maybe one of these days I’ll make enough so I can actually leave.”

“That’s the dream.” Tony said, holding up his beer. “To leaving.”

“To leaving.” Loki repeated, tapping his bottle against Tony’s. As he drank he smirked, creeping his bare foot around Tony’s calf.

“What are you doing?” Tony asked.

“I think…you know what I’m doing.” Loki said myschiviously as the foot crept up his theigh.

“Stop that…” Tony muttered testily, grabbing the foot by the toes and pushing it back.

The mischievous look fell from Loki's face as he retracted his foot, slipping it back in his boot. "What, are you embarrassed? Is it because of the exotic dancer thing-“

“God no, in fact I’m just saying it’s been hard enough keeping the uh…horny situation under control with that knowledge. Keep things civil.”

A grin spread across Loki's face. “Well then, do you wanna get out of here then, get...uncivil?”

“Would love to.” Tony said.

They had managed to pay for their meal and make it outside before Tony had pressed Loki against the bricks outside the restaurant.

“What happened to keeping things civil?” Loki said with a grin.

“I got impatient.” Tony said breathlessly before attacking the other man’s mouth with his own, tongue and all, relishing the groan coming from underneath him before moving downward to his jaw.

“Easy on the merchandise…” Loki moaned.

“Oh, you don’t like a little manhandling?” Tony murmured.

“Oh I love a little manhandling, just not the sort that leaves a mark.” Loki said as groped his ass. “Kinda hard to hide it in my line of work.”

“Well that isn’t so much a concern with me.” Tony said. “You can manhandle me all you want below the collar.”

Loki growled lowly. “…We should go t to my apartment, I don’t want to fuck in the hotel again.”

“Oh, your apartments better then the hotel?” Tony joked

Loki looked away uncomfortably before answer: “It’s just more personal, alright?”

“No…that’s fine.” Tony quickly said.

Loki’s apartment was roughly what he expected, one bedroom with a boho look but in a relatively sparse way of someone who didn’t have a great deal of time of money to spare. It almost made Tony want to take him on some sort of shopping trip to one of those places that specialized in that sort of thing.

…But then again, that would be silly, he barely knew the guy.

“Come ‘ere…” Loki muttered almost incoherently through a haze of lust, dragging Tony to the bedroom, wild look in his eyes.

Sex, on the other hand he believed was different. Sex was flesh and blood, the expression of an energy that built up until you just had to express it in some way. A need to be met, preferably with another person. Sure it could mean something, but it didn’t have to.

“Oh fuck yes…” Loki moaned Tony moved inside him, beneath him on his hands and knees while Tony marveled at how beautiful he was like this. As he thrust inside him harder and Loki gasped in surprise, he wrapped his arms around him, pressing his lips between his shoulder blades before resting his forehead there. A sentimental gesture, because even if this didn’t mean anything beyond this room, this bed, this moment…it felt right.

Later that week he started the process of taking over the Phoenix, and on slow moments of that busy first couple of months he found himself wondering if it had been Loki that had influenced his decision. Not to be closer to him granted, but there was something about the interaction gave him a strange sense of clarity about what he wanted to do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol, I am not finishing this in the time frame I thought I would, but I will have the last chapter up soon

As he established himself in place of his father in the company he discovered he wasn’t half bad at it. Pretty good in fact. Though unfortunately it was easy enough to get sucked in to the darker side of the city, making associations in the name of survival. Not that that bothered him too badly, he didn’t exactly believe in moral blacks and whites, but it wreaked havock on his personal life, a lot of people didn’t understand his world ran on greys, that if you wanted to stay out of the red you had to go a little black.

Maybe that’s what brought him to the Lucky Boy, hoping to see a certain fella in particular. And he was still there, in fact he was in the middle of a performance, greedy eyes on his slender body with it’s lean muscles. He caught sight of Tony expression faltering for a second before recovering it’s ‘come hither’ status.

Tony raised his brow, taking a seat near the stage.

\---

“You ever been here before?” Loki asked when he’d met Tony in the dressing room after wrapped in a long satin robe.

“No…but I’ve been to a similar one a couple of times.” Tony answered. "None of them had such handsome employees such as yourself."

"You're too much Tony Stark..." Loki said with an embarrassed smile. "But also right."

"Of course I'm right," Tony said fondly, stepping forward to take his face in one of his hands and kiss him. Loki hummed, kissing back as Tony slid his hand over the smooth surface of his robe. "I like this robe you're wearing by the way."

"Oh yeah?" Loki murmured. Another dancer walked in just at that moment and the two of them stepped apart.

“You know he’s not supposed to be back here.” The other dancer said to Loki.

“Oh come on Travis, don't be like that…he’s an old friend.”

“You know the rules: employees only. If the boss catches you he’ll have a fit.”

“Seriously?” Loki said after he left, before telling Tony: “Listen you need to skedaddle, that fucker is probably going to find some arbitrary reason to send the boss back here.”

“Alright, can I call you later-“

“Yes yes, please do, but for now vamoose!”

Tony shot him a fiendish grin before slipping out.

He and Loki stayed in loose touch after that, establishing an unspoken system where they would take turns being the one to make the call about wanting to ‘hook up’, though they’d always meet at Loki’s apartment. Tony presumed it was simply because he felt more comfortable doing it there, and who was Tony to complain? It was homey and Tony would never admit it but sometimes he swore he looked forward to the brief time they’d hang out there a little more then the actual fucking.

That lasted a few years before Loki stopped calling thought.

Several months passed and Tony tried not to be worried, they didn’t have a strong relationship, barely any at all, the bastard could’ve just left…maybe even finally followed the rest of his family to California. But to ease his mind he called Thor about it. He got a voicemail so he left a message:

“Hey, was just thinking about you because of how our highschool football team is losing brutally and could use a defense like you…hope you and the rest of the family is good. I haven’t seen that little brother of yours around town anymore, hope he’s alright too.” He hung up the phone at that, sighing in relief. Hopefully that was casual enough, he didn’t feel like getting into how he’s been casually fucking his brother on and off for the last…jesus was it six years now?

An hour later Thor called back sounding worried.

‘ _You called about Loki.’_ He stated.

“I mean…I just realized it’s been awhile, but sure it was sorta about him.”

‘ _He used to say you kept in touch. Said you were friends, I assumed it was just another lie. So we wouldn’t worry too much about him being all alone over there...was it actually true?’_

“I’d say it was something of a half truth.” Tony said. “We had a casual thing going on, but I didn’t exactly keep tabs on him. So you have no idea where he could’ve gone either?”

‘ _No...he usually stays in touch with Hela at the very least but it's quiet on her end of things too…we contacted the police, but given the fact he does this on occation and he’s an adult-‘_

“-There isn’t a lot they can do.” Tony said grimly.

‘ _What about you?’_ Thor asked hopefully. ‘ _You actually being there and all.’_

Tony sighed rubbing his forehead. “I’ll see what I can do. No promises but if he’s still actually here I might be able to find him through some connections I have.”

\---

It turned out he wasn’t in the city, but a neighboring one and it wasn’t hard to get his new address and ‘accidentally’ run into him on the street. Loki looked stunned, almost as if he’d been caught in the act of something bad.

“…Hey.” Tony said helplessly.

“What are you doing here?” Loki said almost accusingly, his voice seemed a little ragged. His whole appearance was really, he looked like he hadn’t gotten any sleep in a month.

“I’d say I was just in the neighborhood, but we both know that isn’t in the ballpark of being true.” Tony said frankly. “I was worried about you.”

“You didn’t need be.” Loki said thickly, eyes going downward, arms crossing over the once nice black trench coat, the kind that might’ve been expensive at one point.

“I think I did.” Tony insisted, try but failing to hide the anger from his voice. “You stop calling me, you change your number, move out of your apartment-“

“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t give you a heads up about that.” Loki said, getting vicious now. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for a…fucking booty call.”

“You're fucking deflecting, that isn’t in what this is about. I was worried about you because…well we’re friends, friends worry about friends.”

Loki looked away, bitterly saying: “…We aren’t friends.”

“Well I like to think we’re friendly enough.” Tony said hopefully. “And…no, maybe I wasn’t entitled to a ‘change of address’ memo, but maybe your god damn family was entitled to it.”

“You called my family?” Loki said with disbelief.

“…I just wanted to know you were alright.”

“Well, now you know. If you’ll excuse me-“

“No offence but you don’t look alright.” Tony said, quickly intercepting his path. “…Look, I’m sorry for yelling but I just…if there’s anyway I can help-“

“No.” Loki said. “I don’t think so.” He said walking around Tony and continuing on his way.

“Then I can listen!” Tony called after him, which thankfully made him pause. “We can go somewhere, just to talk. Whatever’s going on…you don’t have to be alone.”

“…Can we go back to you’re apartment?” He said solemnly.

“Of course.” Tony agreed with relief. “Of course we can.”

\---

“…It started out alright.” Loki said, lounging on the couch. He hadn’t wanted to talk right away so they ended up watching some trashy ‘true crime’ documentary about using dogs to try to find alleged Manson family victims. “A job here and there. A little extra money, you know? I enjoyed the work, along with not having to struggle to make the rent.”

“Is that why you always wanted to hook up in your apartment?” Tony asked, and Loki smiled tiredly.

“I like to keep my work separate from…well, whatever we have…had, I suppose.” Loki added.

Tony didn’t know how to respond to that, didn’t want to be presumptuous about what exactly that meant. “So… it starting alright?”

“Just here and there, it was easy given my line of work. But then the boss found out about a john I had I'd met through the club, fired me to protect his own ass you know?”

“Fuck, you should’ve come to me…” Tony said with dismay.

“And say what?” Loki said testily. “It didn’t feel like that’s where we were at. Besides, I have my pride.”

“Is that why you changed your number, moved out of town?” Tony said. "...Pride?"

Loki looked away. “…Maybe it wasn’t the wisest, but the little things, they add up. Next thing you know you have a boyfriend who took it upon himself to ‘help’ and you somehow got a pimp." He shook his head. "I don't even know how this happened...am I just a complete idiot?”

“Not necessarily…it’s just, and I mean this in the most well meaning way, but it’s easy to do stupid things when you isolate yourself."

Loki laughed helplessly. “…what the hell am I supposed to do now? I just feel so lost, even if I could get out…I don’t know what I’m gonna do now.”

Tony thought for a moment before saying: “Well for one, I think you should get in touch with your family.” When Loki made a noise of disgust he added: “…At least to let them know you're alright. Maybe you could even just tell Hela the nitty gritty details, according to Thor you stayed in touch through her.”

“She’d kill me.” Loki muttered, shaking his head.

“…You look like you’ve been doing a pretty good job of that yourself.” Tony pointed out gently.

“It’s just been a rough last couple of months.” Loki admitted. “Been so fucking tired. Can never get enough sleep, even when I try.”

“You could always try sleeping here.” Tony suggest, before quickly adding: “Just to sleep of course."

“…Of course.” Muttered Loki sullenly, before adding: “I would like to sleep here though.”

“Good, I have a spare room.” Tony said. “Sheet’s were just changed the day before yesterday.”

Later that night when Tony was passing the room he heard him having a conversation on the phone. ' _…Yeah, Tony, the one you threated?'_ He heard Loki say, followed by a laugh. _'Aside from a few alleged mob ties he’s harmless.'_

Tony smiled to himself before going onto his own room.

The next day while they were having breakfast Loki said: “…I did what you suggested, called my sister I mean.”

“Oh?” Tony remarked.

“It went well…she took the whole thing better then I thought. She’s coming over later today to help me get some of my stuff from the apartment.”

“This boyfriend, if you could call him that, is he at the apartment?”

“He keeps an eye out on it sometimes.” Loki said. “She promised she wouldn’t tell Thor yet, least he want to come too.”

“Isn’t she in the navy or something?”

“Marines, but she was discharged.”

“Honorable discharge or-“ Tony started to inquire but shook off the thought. “Never mind. I suppose that means you’ll be gone by the time I get back from work huh?”

“Hela will be on me like glue when she gets here, especially after everything, I figured it’d be best.”

“I suppose you're right.”

“…Not to mention you’ve done so much already.” Loki continued. “Wouldn’t want to over extend my stay.”

“Fuck, it was nothing…” Tony started, wanting to say something more but the words got lost as he struggled for the right thing to say.

"I do appreciate it." Loki insisted.

“Right…I’ll give you a key so you can lock up behind you, just give it to the doorman on your way out.”

\---

Loki was scanning Tony’s bookshelves, half considering reading a book to keep his mind off things when there was knock on door. Loki checked to see who it was, and open it to Hela, who wore a steely expression, here hair pulled back in what he and his brother used to call the ‘ass-kicking bun’

“Hela.” He said, almost worried by her sternness.

But it didn’t last, her steely expression falling as she grumbled: “You god damn bastard” before stepping forward and throwing her arms around him.

Loki couldn’t help but break a little at that, trembling. “I’m sorry,” He managed in a thick voice.

“Just promise you aren’t going to pull that shit again.” She said. He nodded, sniffing, and she pushed him away enough that she could look him in the eye. “I mean it, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. I would kill for you, literally. Just point me in the right direction of the motherfucker-“

Loki had to laugh at that. “…Let’s just start with getting my stuff from the apartment.”

She smiled a little. “We can do that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

After Loki had left with his sister Tony figured that’d be the last he’d see Loki, but the next summer he got a text saying: _‘Back in town, drop by any time’,_ followed by an address that most certainly not in town.

‘ _That isn’t in town’_ He texted back teasingly. ‘ _What’r you up to?’_

 _‘Why don’t you see for yourself?’_ Loki replied, and Tony scoffed.

“…Good to know that son of a bitch is still a son of a bitch.” He muttered, smiling to himself.

The address Loki had given him was in an area a half an hour away not known for more then old cattle ranches, and at first Tony assumed as he stood in the sweltering heat he was in the wrong place but Hela walked out, a large old looking building behind her.

“You lost or something buddy?” She asked, dressed in jeans, a cowboy hat, and a sleeveless button up that showed off her arms. _Welcome to the gun show, Jesus…_ Tony thought, accompanied by the mental note that he should probably work out more himself.

“Buddy? …no, I’m Tony Stark, I’m friends with your brother…you threated me when you thought I was hitting on your other brother?”

“Oh right! The little rich shit, the one who owns the Phoenix.” She smirked. “…By the way, how’s that working out for you?”

“Fine actually. Turns out the old man owned a handful of other places I could sell, giving me better financial leverage with the Phoenix.” He looked around the property, the sound of buzz saws and construction coming from a large derelict looking building behind them. “…Speaking of which, is this yours?”

She smiled proudly. “Yes as a matter of fact, you’e looking at the future Moonlite Ranch. It was Loki’s idea, wasn’t it?” She called after Loki who approached them.

“I think idea is a strong word for it.” He said. “Tony, you came.”

“Oh, you’re responsible for this?” She said critically, gesturing to Tony.

“I wanted to get ahead of word of mouth.” Loki insisted. “But I hardly came up with the idea, we’d been discussing Nevada brothels and she got it into her head she wanted to run one.”

“We’d specifically been discussing how you would’ve preferred to work in one but didn’t have many opportunities as a man. I just thought…why don’t we give that to other people?” Hela said.

"You're opening a male brothel?" Tony asked.

“Male and female. And she just wanted to do it because she liked the idea of being a modern day madame.” Loki teased.

“Well I can do it for more then one reason. And it’s a joint madam-ship, or whatever you want to call it.” She said. “He’s more of a people person then me, so it works out. Now if you’ll excuse me…” She said, starting to walk away.

“It was uh…good seeing you.” Tony called after her. “Well this has been a surprise.”

“Your telling me. Come on, I’ll show you around the place.”

\---

“You certainly took awhile to get in touch." Tony said.

“…I wasn’t even sure whether or not we’d get this whole idea off the ground.” Loki said as they walked toward the massive run down house. Construstion tresses ran up the side, though it sounded like they were working on the back area of the house presently. “But we managed to luck out with this place.”

“I suppose ‘luck’ is a word for it…” Tony said as they stood on the long sprawling covered porch.

“I know what it looks like, but it has good bones. It just needs a bit of work,” He said with a shine in his eye like a fool in love, hands brushing along the weathered porch railing. “Come on, let me show you inside.”

“Oh, are you sure that’s safe?” Tony said with concern.

“As long as we don’t go upstairs we’ll be fine.” Loki insisted with mild frustration. “I just have to show one thing."

“If your sure.” Tony said, following him, and his jaw dropped at the massive ornate curving double staircase leading to a second floor balcony, doors on either end. “…What the hell?”

“Right?” Loki said with a pleased grin.

“Don’t get me wrong, it still looks like a horror film come to life in here, but what is this doing here?”

“The answer to that question is Willie D. Mason.”

“Willie D. Mason…wasn’t that the rich dude whose idea of philanthropy was taking orphans on African hunting safaris?”

Loki chuckled. “Well before that he had the bright idea to start a little hotel safari getaway right hear in Nevada, but halfway through he realized tourists and lions might not be the best combination.”

“Really? It took him that long?”

“Well it took that long for his investors to get the whole gist of his full intentions.” Loki explained with a grin. “Sure it was the thirties and a different time, but not that different.”

Tony burst out into laughter. “Your fucking kidding me. And you just brought it? You’d think Mason’s historical estate would’ve snapped it up.”

“The man who brought it from him accually turned it into a brothel, one where Mason frequented quite a bit, and I don’t think they were too keen on focusing on that aspect of uh…history.” He grinned maliciously, adding: “…Fortunately we have no hang-ups about it. Furthermore our Dad knew a guy who knew the guy who was selling it for not much more then the price of the land.”

“Seriously, you’re dad helped you get this?”

"He was charmed by the idea, further more he's on good terms with a historical organization that gives grants to restore historical buildings.”

"I find it hard to believe you’d get approval for a place like this, unless you lied about what you were planning on using it for.” Tony joked playfully.

“I think he gave a good argument for our case, something about contributing to the history of a building rather then stagnating…plus it helped we where using it for its original purpose…well, semi original anyway.”

“I suppose it’s good not to have his stubbornness working against you.”

Loki scoffed at that. “Perhaps, but he teases retirement not to far down the line, after which he’ll move back and insist on ‘helping with business’.”

“Well, at least he’s supportive…so, where do the doors lead?”

“Rooms: we plan on having gentlemen on the right, ladies on the left..." He said as he pointed up, before gesturing to the open area in front of him as he passed between the two staircases. "...And plenty of room to entertain."

"So...failed rich man’s getaway, whore house...I image it wasn’t the later indefinitely, what happen to it after that?”

“A couple who wanted to run a bed and breakfast brought it in the seventies, they offered horse riding, they’re the ones who built the barn outside. That went on until the mid nineties when they retired. From what I understand they liked to joke about coming full circle with this place, claiming to give it it’s original purpose, but I gotta say I think we’ve won in that regard.”

“When you open it.” Tony pointed out, and Loki sighed.

“Yes, when indeed. The old girl’s gonna need a lot of work.”

"...And how much work is that?"

"The roof, the electricity, the plumbing, most of the floors in the second story on account of the leaky roof, not to mention the stair steps, which are a nightmare to have redone since we're have to stick to original design or else the grant won't cover it...to name a few things."

"Jesus...but hey, the bones are good right?" Tony pointed out dryly, and Loki couldn't help but laugh.

“Also no termites, though we do have a considerable amount of woodpecker damage.”

“Woodpeckers?”

“Bastards drill holes for their acorns.” He said with a smirk. "Come on, let me show you the barn."

"Please don't tell me you're converting the barn into a house or something pretentious like that." Tony said as they walked between house and barn.

"God no, might as well just make a barn shaped house with all the work you'd need to put into it."

As they stood inside it silently, and since Loki having run out of things to say about the property Tony took the opportunity to say: “You look better. Not that I’m judging you for participating in the trade but…”

“…Just the way I did it?” Loki said with a raised brow.

“I mean I’m glad you could get out of it.” Tony insisted. Loki sighed, shaking his head.

“…I did like it, before, I just got burned by it and it took the fun out of it.”

“And yet your back here.”

“Perspectives change, people change. I…guess this is what the guy I am now wants to do. I want to make sure people who were like me have a safe outlet to practice their chosen career.”

“Guess that make sense, admirable in fact…either way I missed you.”

Loki scoffed. “I’m sure it made things easier at the same time.” He said. “Don’t have to deal with…well you know what.”

“I’m not entirely sure I do.” Tony said with a frown.

“My…former occupation. I assumed you’d be put off by it and you were.”

Tony scoffed, realizing what he was talking about. “Are you talking about how I didn’t make a move on you the day you were battered and sad and trying to get away from your abusive boyfriend? That wasn’t out of disgust, it just seemed wildly inappropriate. I mean, maybe if I’d known you better but I didn’t.”

“Oh…” Loki said simply, turning the thought over in his head.

“I don’t care that you did sex work. Everyone fucks, you were just smart enough to make money off it.”

“Stop it, you’re too much…” Loki dismissed.

“I mean it,” Tony said, taking the other man in his arms, kissing him as if the time between then and their last tryst hadn’t happened.

“Still want me to stop?” Tony murmured and Loki giggle in a gentle breathless way that made him feel a way he’d almost forgotten, not something he’d ever felt but something he imagined people with normal jobs and normal lives might feel. Like Loki was just a guy he met in a bar one day who caught his eye and gave him his number, and they went on normal dates and they didn’t just have a history no strings attached affairs which made him feel things he couldn’t quite understand.

Maybe it wasn't even something he ever truly wanted, but something he imagined he wanted, where he was happier and so was Loki.

But things worked out simply the way they did, didn't they?

“What I want you to do," Loki started, bringing him out of his thoughts, "...Is give me a lift to my place in town, my car’s in the shop.”

A smile spread across Tony’s face. “…I think I can do that.” He said.

\---

Loki’s place turned out to be a studio above a dentist office, in a line of other two story antiquities in a town near his and Hela's property. "You seriously live here?" Tony called out, standing by the bed as he undressed.

"Just until things get finished over on the ranch." Loki answered from the bathroom before the door opened and he stepped out, wearing a long silk emerald robe and clearly nothing else. "...It was this or a Winnebago." 

"I like this option much better." Tony said, trying not to look too stunned but based one the grin spreading across Loki's face he was failing.

"That's what I thought." He said, pushing Tony onto the bed and taking his lips hungrily, eager fingers undoing his belt as Tony ran his hand over his body, the bastard must've remembered he liked these robes. 

As Loki was mouthing Tony's neck his cell phone went off, a sing songy whine that made him look up from what he was doing and sigh in dismay. "You've got to be kidding."

"Is it something important?" 

"Probably, it's my stupid work phone and I've been expecting some old friends to call back." 

"Well then don't not get it on account of me."

"What? Don't be ridiculous..." Loki insisted but Tony snatched up the phone, hit the 'answer' option and handed it to Loki.

Loki tusked, but gave him a look of gratitude. "Johnny! So glad you called. No, I've just been out of town..."

Tony stood up and rebuckled his pants and Loki said: 'Hold on hun' into the phone before addressing Tony. "What are you doing?"

"Just making some coffee, you wanted some?" Tony said, gesturing to the coffee maker in the kitchenette.

"Oh...sure, Irish the shit out of it though, there's a bottle of bailey's in the cabinet above it." Loki said before returning to his conversation.

By the time Tony had finished it sounded like the conversation was starting to wind down. “…Well we’ll have to give you a background check, plus you’ll need to get tested…"

Tony handed Loki his coffee, who took it and, muttered ‘thank you’ and taking a long sip before exclaiming: "What...Yes it's a requirement. It involves blood sure, but they have to test for the really bad ones don’t they?...It’s really not that bad, I do it all the time. We’ll even have a special nurse to refer you to, she’s a pro you won’t feel a thing. Alright…listen I’ve gotta go, take care.” He hung up sighing with dismay.

“…sorry about that.”

“Welcome to running a business.” Tony said, taking a drink of his own 'irished' coffee. “Where you just take calls in the middle of screwing.”

Loki, with was in the middle of drinking, coughed on his coffee while laughing, and quickly put it down. “You made me take it.” He accused, getting up.

"I assumed it'd be important."

"Well, thank you. I assume you did it so you could do the same?"

“Are you kidding? Do know how long I’ve been wanting you?” Tony said in a low voice, putting his own coffee down before he wrapped his arms around him.

“I meant in the future.” Loki clarified.

“Future?” Tony asked, and Loki tusked with annoyance, pulling away.

“Christ, I didn’t mean it like _that._ ” He managed after a moment of silent frustration, speaking with his back turned. “I meant…this thing with us, it’s just something that happens sometimes.”

“Maybe it doesn’t have to be just that.” Tony said hopefully, moving to hold him from behind, resting his head on his shoulder, laughing uncomfortably as a thought occurred to him. “You know…I was just thinking earlier…what if things had gone differently between us? That we started dating, like real actual dating, and we were something more. That things might’ve turned out differently.”

“They might’ve been…but we didn’t.” Loki said flatly. “So they aren’t.”

“ ‘So they aren’t’…Christ, don’t you understand what I’m saying?” Tony said in frustration, lifting his head.

“I do, and I’m really not interested in being another one of Tony Stark’s exes, better to cease quietly in the night then a bitter explosion.”

“You’ve been listening to your sister a little too much.” Tony half joked. “Some meanie who hasn’t known me since highschool?”

“…Well I’ve been around since then, she isn’t completely wrong is she?” Loki said. “Not to mention you’re a little intimidating.”

“Intimidating?”

“You, in your big building, big business.” Loki said.

“I suppose your not wrong.” Tony relented. “But…it doesn’t need to be like that.”

“Tony-“

“No, I mean…I get what your saying, we can just be this, this is fine.” Tony insisted, arms coming up around him again, hugging his chest.

“Oh yeah?” Loki answered, sounding relieved, and Tony was relieved, that cold flat tone was gone

“…I gotta say, seeing you taking care of business like that, it was kinda hot.” Tony continued.

“Oh bullshit,” Loki said, turning to face him, though there was a glint in his eye. "Yeah, background checks and std testing, super sexy." Loki moaned sarcastically.

"Nothing better than clean hookers who don't stab you in the middle of the night and steal your money. But seriously you know what I mean, taking care of business,” He murmured, mouthing his neck, “…Getting things done, you know?”

“You want me to take care of your business this time?” Loki said, as he eased them toward the bed, pushing him on his back.

“If that means what it sounds like, yes.” Tony said breathlessly, and Loki chuckled darkly.

"...Well I much say you were pretty sexy yourself, all shirtless while you made coffee," Loki said.

"Oh now your full of shit, I've been lazy lately, gettin' a little flabby around the gut..." He said, making a move to give his exposed belly a critical squeeze, but Loki pulled the hand away, clucking discouragingly.

"…Now now, I won’t have that. A little extra weight doesn't change how much of a stud you are." Loki said. “Understand?”

“Yeah, I understand.” Tony said, looking up at him. “…Just to be clear, you are going to fuck me right?”

“Oh yes…” Loki said mischievously as he undid his belt again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! This sorta went from a holiday fic to 'fic I started during the holiday, but I wanted to give it more time


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this isn't necessarily an 'update', but I've been making a few revisions to the fic, including expanding the last chapter and realizing it might be better on it's own.

**Back to present day, seven years later**

“Well fuck, how have you been, aside from this hotel bullshit?” Loki asked.

“Oh you know, same nonsense.” Tony said uncomfortably.

_There really wasn’t much of a ‘future’ after the tryst in Loki's studio apartment, not even one that included them hooking up since Loki started seeing someone immediately after that, and despite the fact that Tony did the same it still came with a kind of bitterness…_

_Why not me? He’d thought with resentment. Which was why he was sort of relieved when Loki crashed a party of his, as if to show he still cared. He wasn't even with his boyfriend at the time but with his sister who looked bored but was there for moral support…that was until she someone she liked._

“…Your sister still seeing that gal she stole from me?” Tony asked.

Loki cackled at that. “Oh god, I always forget you and Valkyrie used to date…but yes. She’s out of town a lot on account of her being a fugitive recovery agent, but they make it work.”

“Fuck me, of course she’d end up getting into bounty hunting work…I find it odd you’d forget that factor of the equation where we used to date.” Tony said with irritation.

_He remembered it fairly well, though to be fair he’d been a little distracted by Loki for a good portion of the night but it was still a bit jarring to see Hela chatting up his girlfriend and have Loki swoop in like the little shit he was and say: ‘Oof, condolences.’_

‘Oh what do you know?’ Tony had said defensively, though in hindsight he supposed he and Val didn’t have the strongest connection, not to mention him pining after Loki that night didn't help.

“…I suppose you were occupied by other things given how your boyfriend showed up and you got into a big argument.”

Loki sombered up at that. “God damn Jarred…he had to get the wrong idea about it, I was just going to a party.”

“Oh were you, were really?” Tony said.

“Watch yourself Stark, I’m sure it wasn’t just ‘going to a party’ when you angrily showed up to the Moonlite Ranch’s first Christmas party

Tony groaned. “Oh god, seriously? It’s been five years.” He said to the bartender who looked at them disinterestedly.

“Exactly, and it hasn’t gotten any less funny.” Loki said jovially. “You took it upon yourself to crash the party, half drunk and hollering about how you didn’t get an invitation. The twist was we totally did send you one you just forgot but still remembered the fact that we were having a party.”

“In my defense I was going through a bad period then.” Tony said sheepishly. Loki could joke about it all he wanted, but it still remained…a not so proud moment that he still couldn't help but cringe at in the memory of: the look on Loki’s face, the way Thor and Hela flanked him like protective perplexed angels not sure if this was serious or another joke.

“After that we made sure to send a physical invitation, just in case.”

“Right…” Tony said with an uncomfortable laugh. “…I mean, except for this year.”

“Huh…I guess it must’ve got lost in the mail.” Loki said a little too nonchalantly. “But it isn’t like you went anyway, so no harm no fowl.”

“Yeah…right.” Tony said. _Just let it go…_

“Speaking of which, I should probably get going, catch the tail end of my own party. Thanks for the drink!”

“I…yeah, I guess it’s on the house.” He said to the bartender, finishing off his beer.

He downed it, staring forward with a crazed expression that if Happy had been there he would’ve recognized talked him down from.

But Happy wasn’t here.

“Fuck it, fucking bastard…” Tony growled, making a move that was half whirling around half hoping off his barstool which ended in propelling him to the floor.

“I’m fine!” He said, hopping up, straightening his blazer. “Just…probably need to have someone else drive me.”

\---

“Well look who decided to show up.” His father said when Loki came into the party that was now winding down.

“Christ, I forgot you were coming.” He said with delight as he came in.

"Oh, I miss one Christmas and you assume we're not coming."

“Probably wanted to pretend he wasn’t…I that’s what I’m currently doing…” Hela said as she finished off a champagne flute.

“I’m just so proud of what you two have done, even if it’s a little unconventional.” He insisted gruffly. 

"We both are..." His mother said. 

"Mom!" He exclaimed as they embraced.

“But tell us, what business was more important?” Thor asked

“If you must know…I was paying my last respects to my associations with Tony.”

“Oh son, Hela was telling us about the rumors around him…that can’t be easy.” His mother said sympathetically.

“…No, it’s not, but it’s like you say sometimes you’ve got to make your peace and let things go.” Loki said.

“Seems like it didn’t take.” one of their girl’s said, several of them looking through the window.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.” Loki exclaimed, gently brushing them aside to look for himself, just to see a very irritable looking Tony get out of a car. “Son of a bitch…” He grumbled, grabbing his coat and rushing outside to put himself in Tony’s path.

“Whoa…what’s going on?”

“What’s going on is you really didn’t send me an invitation.”

“Seriously? We’ve been through this-“

“No, no! You always send me two invitations just in case I didn’t get one. See? Look…” He held up eight invitations. “Two for each year. And I didn’t get any this year! None! Just because what, your jealous I managed to sell the Phoenix and you're stuck here?"

“What? Christ, fuck you…”

“Fuck me? Fuck me?!”

“Why do you even care? It’s not like you would’ve showed up tonight anyway. Because it would look bad for your political campaign to show up at a whore house party. Just like it would’ve looked bad if you kept associating with the likes of me.”

Tony looked stunned at that, looking like a lost little kid for a moment. “You know about that?”

Loki rolled his eyes, gesturing helplessly. “The fact that you’re planning on running for city council? It’s a rumor that’s been going around.”

Tony trudged through the snow over to the car, leaning against it, sniffing. “You weren’t suppose to uh...hear about it like that. I mean…I was gonna try to tell you tonight but you sorta bolted.” He looked up, spotting a paisley decorated Volkswagen van. “Isn’t that you dad’s?”

Loki looked over at it, wincing. “…Oh, yeah, him and Mom drove over.”

“Oh, oh no…” Tony moaned, covering his hands.

"What do you mean 'oh no'? They always come...not including last year, but most years."

“I mean I forgot…and I did it again, made a scene I mean." overwhelmed tears rolled his face as he managed to squeak out: "...And it freezing.”

“It is.” Loki said uncomfortably.

“Isn’t is where the Donner party got stuck?"

“Christ.” Loki said with dismay. “Let’s get you inside alright?”

“I really don’t to want your family to see me like this…”

“I mean my own house, the one we built separate from the brothel. I technically share it with Hela but she won't be there tonight.”

Tony nodded, turning to his driver in realization.

Loki tusked, and called out to the driver: “We need some time to talk. If you want you can go inside get yourself some coffee and whatever’s left of the pie we never order enough of.” He said before leading Tony by the shoulder to the house.

\---

“Sorry about doing this…What am I even doing here?” Tony said, who had sat on the couch as Loki fiddled with a space heater.

“You’re here for the same reason your always here, you don’t handle rejection well.” Loki said, moving to sit across from him as a dull warmth spread throughout the room. "But that's probably the same reason I didn't send you an invitation."

“This isn’t that…it’s the principle of the matter.” Tony insisted.

“You make a good point, but you wouldn’t have come at all if I hadn’t dropped by the hotel.”

“Maybe not.” Tony said embarrassedly, looking away. “Did you do that on purpose, just to rile me up?"

"Oh god just to rile you up, please..." Loki drawled.

They were interrupted by a heavy trodding of boots down the stairs, Valkerie appearing at the bottom. Tony and Loki both looked at her like dear in the headlights and she said: “Oh, don’t stop your passive aggressive bickering on account of me.”

“Val, I didn’t realize you were back in town.” Loki managed.

“I just got back. I told Hela not to tell anyone because I wanted to rest but apparently that’s a long shot since you two are here.”

“We’re just talking.” Loki insisted, and she laughed humorlessly at that.

“Right, sure ‘just talking’.” She said as she put on a scarf and jacket.

“What does that mean?” Tony pipped up.

“I mean it’s never ‘just talking’ between you two bastards is it? Even if one of you decides to distance themselves for political reasons.” She said pointedly to Tony. “And how well did that end up? Good luck with that though.” She added cheerily to Tony before leaving.

“Christ, does anyone not know about that?” Tony said with bewilderment.

“What can I say, my family loves gossip involving you.” Loki said.

“She’s not wrong…this wasn’t going to end just because I stopped talking to you for a little while.” Tony said glumly.

“You should’ve fucking said something.” Loki said. “I would’ve left you alone if you really wanted it.”

“Right…” Tony said somberly. “I suppose I could say something now.”

“Sure, I suppose you could.” He sighed, standing and walking towards the door. “Come on, l'll get your driver so he can take your sorry ass home.”

Tony got up and started to follow, but stopped. “But what if I didn’t?”

“What do you mean?” Loki asked as he turned off the space heater, straightening up to give Tony a suspicious look.

“I could say something...but I didn’t.” Tony insisted. “Because maybe I didn’t really want you to just leave me alone.”

“Fucking hell, I thought were talked about this-“ Loki said with exasperation.

“Yes, that you didn’t want to get together because you didn’t want to break up. Which is ridiculous, because it seems like something always brings us together. And dammit, when that happens something inside me...I don't know, dies and I can't help but go a little crazy. Because for me...it’s always been you, and not to jinx it but I suspect it’s always gonna be you.”

Loki tusked helplessly. “You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean.”

“I suppose you’re right,” He said with a wince, before getting on one knee.

“What the hell are you doing now? I-” Loki started with exasperation.

“Just shut up and let me do this.” Tony insisted, digging a ring box out of his pocket, holding it up helplessly. “And yeah, I know this is a bit out of the blue but-“

“You’re damn straight.” Loki said with furious confusion. “…What, do you just carry that around with you?”

“No…I keep it in my office. I brought it in a moment of weakness a couple years ago but couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it.” He opened it, revealing a simple silver men's ring with a Celtic knot design. “I thought about getting something more gaudy, but-“

“You bastard, it’s perfect.” Loki said as he took the box from him, studying it as he chewed his lip. “…what if I say no?”

“Then I’ll have to deal with it.” He said as he stood again, looking at him expectantly. “…but I really hope you don’t.”

“What about your campaign?” Loki asked.

“Look…I wanted to get into politics to make a difference. I figure if simply being with you fucked that up then what’s the point?”

“Fuck…of course I’m not going to say no, not to you after all this time.” Loki admitted as he took his face in his hands, looking into his eyes fondly.

A smile spread across Tony’s face “Thank god,” He said with relief as they kissed, before he broke away in a panic. “Wait, that was a yes, right?”

“Of course it was a yes you idiot.” Loki said as he put on the ring, and held out his hand. “Come, we oughta go tell people the good news while there’s people still here to tell.”

Tony laughed in disbelief. “Oh no, you gotta be kidding me. Not after I just embarrassed myself...”

“It would be more embarrassing if you didn’t if you really think about it.” Loki said, taking his hand, squeezing it. “…Come on, we can schmooze and then you can take me home and we’ll fuck each other’s brains out.”

“Always the classy bastard.” Tony said. “Ok, that sounds reasonable.”

They'd managed to get their coats back on when Loki had him pressed against the wall next to the door.

"I thought we had to go?" Tony teased, grinning with their lips less than an inch apart, arms wrapped around one another.

"I couldn't resist, one more for the road?"

"God you're a basket case." Tony said.

"Your note much saner yourself." Loki said as they kissed one more time before stepping out into the cold again, the sound of laughter and music waiting for them from afar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! Comments/feedback is always appreciated


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